Fuel oil heater



NOV. 28, 1933. N, ENGELMANN 1,937,013

FUEL OIL HEATER Filed April 13 1931 INVENTOR Nikoiaua Engelmann BY A TTORNE Y.

, Patented Nov. 28, 1933 V FUEL'OIL HEATER Nikolaus Engelmann Philadelph a, rap 1 2 Application April is, 1931. Serial No, 529,750 V 1' '3 Claims. (oI.]12s l22).

' v'I'hisinvention relates to fueloil heaters for internalcombustion engines. fIt is among the objects of the inventiom'to provide a fuel oil heater of "simplicity andeconomy'of construction; to provideanattachment for standard internal combustion engines normally using gasoline for .fuel whereby fuel oil may be used; to provide a, fuel oil heaterin which in effect fuel oil is distilled so thattlie lighter portions thereof are used to form a combustible mixture in an internal combustion en-K gine while the heavier portions are caused to settle and be divided out. from the fuel; and many other objects and advantages. as will become more apparent as the description In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 represents a fragmentary side elevation of the fuel oil heater as it may be provided in V the invention, Fig. 2 represents a sideelevation of the'invention applied to an ordinary automobileinternal combustion engine,

Fig. 3 represents a vertical section partially in full lines of the oil heating device which may be used in the form disclosed or to form the basis for the helical coils shown in Figs. 1 and 2, Fig. 4 represents a fragmentary end elevation partially in section of the termination of the oil I H heating element, and '80 Fig. 5 represents a fragmentary enlarged section of the upperend of the oil heating device. Referring to Fig.3, there is provided an outer tube 10 one end of which is closed as at 11, and I p the otherend of whichis closed by a header 12. A smaller tube 13 passes through the header and is substantially concentrically disposed in tube 10 and terminates in an open mouth 14 beneath the closed end 11 and is preferably provided with My a series of holes 15 in slightly spaced relation from the open mouth. 14. An inlet pipe 16 is connected with the header 12 at one end so as to communicate with the interior of the pipe 10 and extends to any suitable source of supply- I such as a pump, not shown, or such as the vacuum tank 17 disclosed in Fig. 2. A settling chamber or sediment trap or tank 18 connected'by pipe 20 to the header 12 is so disposed as to form of heater, it is preferable'that the double tube comprising inner and outer tubes be twist- M ed in the form of a'helix, as shown in Figs. 1

655 and 2, to embrace a source of'heatsuch as the" proceeds.

, start the motor.

the settlingcha'mber.

exhaust: manifold '21 of] an internalfcombustion engine. It willbeobserved that theiupperend; of the double tube extends iverticallyfrom the" helical turns and that the closed ehd-llfof the tube 10 is disposed in such horizontal positi'onrel-f, ative to the vacuum tank '17- that thefnormal fuellevel in suchtank is slightly below theclos ed' end 11 as well as belowgthef open' mouth. 1401 the inner tube 13. Such level in? ,the intake tank f;

is, however, normally slightly F'abov'e; the rowof; holes 15 in the tube 13. The inner tub ef 1 3 is extended beyond the header l2.toward1the carbu-f retor 22 ofthe internal1combustionenginef 23 ly coupled with such carburetor 22.. Preferably disclosed in dotted lines in Fig. 2 and is operativean electrically energized heating unit 23 is provided close to the carburetor so as to suitably heat the oil contained in 'tube 13 in order-to It will be observed that the arrangement is such, as shown in Fig. 2 for instance, that the settling chamber. or tank 18,is at a low point relative to the heater and to the coils so that the heavier portions may flow The arrangement of the entire: device is prefer- .ably such that the fuel oil may flow by gravity from the'vacuum tank 17 or be pushed by aipump, if such is used, through pipe 16 into large pipe 10 in which the level of fuel raises until itsubstantially attains the level in the vacuum tank 17 b gravity into As this is above the levelof'the'apertures 15- in tube a 13 oil may flow through these. relatively small holes to fill the inner tube 13. ,Thus'the tubes 10 and 13 are both filled with fuel toa point below. the open mouth 14 of ,theinner tube 13,

and, of course, below the level of the closed end 11 of the outer tube 10. The electrically heated device 23 may be energized in order to raise the temperature of the oil inpipe 13to'a point at which; it may form a combustible mixture. with air in the carburetor 22. .After the motor has been started the exhaust gases passing through exhaust pipe 21 will heat the oil contained in the outer tube 10, and, of course, willalso, through conducthicker pcrtionaparticularly in such forms of the device as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, will move .;to-'-.

disposed and entrapped'in the'sediment trap 18;

Forthis purpose it is preferred that, the turnsjof the helix and the disposition of the pipes: gen-.

. ward the bottom of the device, to be eventually I 14 of tube 13 so that the thinner and more volatile oil fiows directly into the tube 13 through such mouth 14, as Well as through the apertures 15.

The advantages of the invention will be manifest as willthe fact that many changes and modifications'mayv be made in the invention'without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination, an internal combustion engine having an exhaust conduit, a pipe heatably associated with said manifold, each end of said pipe being closed, a second ,pipe extending through onelclosed end and having an openend .inslightly spaced relation from the other closed end of the first-'mentione d pipe, said iinner and outerpipes including a vertical portion, means for introducing fuel, into the firstmentioned pipe to a level initially below the level of said second mentioned pipe and so arranged thatas said fuel is heatedinlsaid-first mentioned pipethe fuelrnay expand so as to'fiowthrough the. open end of said,

secondmentioned'pipe', a carburetor for said internalfconibustion engine, and means effecting communicationbetween said second pipe and said carburetor. V

2. In" combination, an internal combustion engine, a vacuum tank having a normal fuel level,

an exhaust conduit, a pipe including a coil em- I bracingsaid conduit and terminating in an upstanding closed end portion, the closed'end of which is 'abovesaid normal iuel level in said vacuum tank, a second pipe housed in said first mentioned'pipe and having an open end disposed,

in said upstanding portion of the first mentioned pipe which end is also above thenormal'level of fuel in said vacuum tank, said second pipe having an aperture beneath the openend thereof and normally above the level of fuel in said vacuum 3 tank, a carburetor and means'effectingcommunication of said second mentioned pipe with said carburetor.- a

3. In a fuel heater for internal combustion engines, an outer pipe having two headers, an inner pipe passing through a header and having an open mouth in slightly spacedrelation to the other header, a fuel inlet conduit passing into said first mentioned outer pipe, said inner and-outer pipes being coiled to contactingly' embrace an ex-.

haust conduit of an internal'combus'tion engine; said inner and outer pipesftermina'ting in avertically upstandin'gportion above'the coils,,a sediment trap communicating with the outer -pipe jat a low point thereof, said innerpipe continued beyondthe header to form a connection to a car buretor, and an auxiliary heating device operatively associated with said extension of theinner J p p 7 1 a a 'NIKOLAUS, EN ELMANN,

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